The race for the weekend eyeballs gets keener from October as General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Colors, announces the launch of its most ambitious drama series—24. Beginning October 4, the show, an adaptation from the cult American series, will ride on the already popular Bigg Boss (BB) show with a 10 pm slot, Friday and Saturday for 12 weeks in 24 episodes.

Both the time slot and days are important, as these are the two days that host, Salman Khan visits the BB show. "You get to see both Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor on the same day!" says CEO Colors, Raj Nayak.

Since it is a new genre, the GEC is hoping to build the show and funnel in viewers riding on the immense draw of both Khan and the show. Colors has been building both its non fiction as well as weekend programming. Pre Jhalak, the dancing reality show, their non fiction contributed only about 10 % to their overall ratings while in the last four weeks this percentage has increased to as much as 30%. This has also increased their ratings by at least 25%.

The show which catapulated them to top slot in non fiction in the last few weeks, was Comedy Nights With Kapil which will now be moved to once a week on a Sunday slot.

Mounted like a film, 24 is an expensive show which has approximately cost Colors, close to Rs 150 crore in rights bought from actor producer Anil Kapoor who acted in the original series and also plays the lead, Jai Singh Rathod in the Indian adaptation. While sponsor revenues are said to have brought in close to Rs 80 crore, they are also looking at raising the 10-second slot to approximately, Rs 3.5-4 lakh keeping in mind the 12 minute ad cap to be implemented from October.

CEO, Colors Raj Nayak had told ET in May that they would be left with no choice but to raise their prices by at least 30%. Title sponsor Tata Motors feels the show shares the same values of speed, strength and absolute power. "As Anil Kapoor runs against time, the Safari Storme is the perfect vehicle that supports his agility and total control. It made sense to tie up with a show which has all the characteristics of our SUV," said President PVBU Tata Motors, Ranjit Yadav.

Yet, a lot rides on whether this new genre will work across audiences or not and if so to what extent. Shooting in real time, split screens, are all new for the Indian audiences.

With a stellar cast like Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, Mandira Bedi and Tisca Chopra among others, helmed by director Abhinay Deo and a writing team led by Rensil D'Silva, a lot of production houses are betting on this genre working as it opens a huge library on content to adapt and produce from. While Nayak, is sure this will be a game changer for the entertainment channel, he is also confident of recovering his investment. "With 24, we are introducing the Indian audiences to a new hybrid genre of entertainment that sees an interesting amalgamation of fiction and reality. The never-seen-before action, thrill, suspense, drama and the exhilaration of solving complex cases real-time within a span of 24 hours, should draw in the eyeballs," said Manisha Sharma, weekend programming head, Colors, who is excited to be the first-ever network to produce and air the local adaptation of the international series outside the United States.

The award-winning American TV series ran for eight seasons and aired its last episode in May 2010. It had unprecedented success across 43 countries in eight languages. Actor producer Anil Kapoor holds the rights of the 192 episodes for a period of four years extendable to another ten, in what his lawyers, Naik and Naik says is definitely one of the highest licensee deals for a fiction-format show on Indian TV. "I couldn't have asked for a better team of actors than the ones on 24. Everybody is a hero on the show and the precision and technique that each one of them use to portray their individual characters is unique. Their never-say-die attitude and the passion and enthusiasm put in by each one of them makes me want to strive harder and perform better and better," said Kapoor who plays Jack Bauer and makes his small screen debut with this show.

Equally excited is director Abhinay Deo about the show. "We have shot '24' like a feature film. It is more like cinema on television. Creating a body of work such as 24, is a lifetime opportunity where I could use my craft to the fullest. I have attempted to create a visual medley of powerful characters led by Jai Singh Rathod," said Deo.

For a graph if needed

24—Rights bought from Fox International by Anil Kapoor Films for 192 episodes for 4 years